Interview of Karen Hudgins

by

Nancy L. Horner

1. Tell us a little bit about ONE NIGHT WITH ZORRO. Was there a particular experience or idea that prompted you to write this story?

I wanted to write a story that combined contemporary times with history and one that focused on the marriage, family, and home. Some of this is accomplished with the setting. Moreso, part of the plot is about finding a lost family heirloom--a fine Wilkinson saber, and I also needed my hero to wear a masquerade costume. Legendary Zorro filled the bill. He was mysterious, sexy, and promoted good values.

2.. How did you get your start writing novels? Have you always desired to be a writer?

Other art forms eventually led me to writing. I quickly found it the most challenging, seductive, and fluid. The time came about 10 years ago to learn how to write novels and I went after it. Never considered the short story format. No, I never dreamed about being an author--that always seemed to be for someone else to be. Until, I seriously tried...

3. What's your favorite part of the writing process?

Dialogue. When it flows, I'm in real deep with my characters. I also get thrilled over the creative inspirations that pop up while writing a book. They're wonderful surprises that make me trust the process.

4. Do you outline before you write or are you a more spontaneous writer?

I figure out enough basics--time, place, people, problems--to get started, then let it rip. Detailed outline form, for me, would be a typing job, i.e. follow the dots. Although, after I get further into the story more becomes apparent about what will have to happen to finish, I could forget something. So I do a little checklist: Julia meets Nick's mother, Nick helps deliver baby, etc.

5. Who are your favorite writers? Do you write in the same genre(s) you tend to read?

Susan Elizabeth Phillips is my favorite single-title contemporary romance author and has been for a while. I also read category romances. Because of its condensed form, reading them keeps me in touch with basic romance genre elements. Works kind of like a refresher course! I also read Nicholas Sparks for romance from the guy's point of view.

6. What kind of research did you do for ONE NIGHT WITH ZORRO? Are antiques a passion of yours?

I did FUN research. For example, I watched Antonio Banderas again! I appreciate fine needlework as an art medium and lace is interesting, particularly because of its history. During a trip to England, we visited Nottingham, an old lace producing town that proudly displays this industrial heritage. I also contacted the Wilkinson Sword Company in London for saber ideas. Although I like antiques, they're not a passion.

7. Who would you say has influenced your writing the most and how have they influenced the way you write today?

Tough to answer, this question. Many authors' works are wonderful teachers and have influenced my writing today. John Steinbeck made deep impressions for characters and vivid settings. Just about any romance author's work that I've read has some kind of influence on my romance writing. Either by seeing if something really worked, or if it didn't.

8. What else have you written? Do you write non-fiction as well as fiction?

Some writing-related articles and a mystery short story that was included in a locally produced anthology. The most recent article is one appearing in the March/April issue of Affaire de Coeur.

9. I've met a lot of writers who hid the fact that they wrote from family and friends for many years before finally "coming out of the writing closet". Were you always open about your writing or did you sneak off to find writing time? Who supports you the most in your writing efforts?

I had a teacher who once said, "Never tell anyone you write." Maybe that worked for him, but not me. I was proud of working at it, so I talked to a lot of people about it--most were very interested, too. Coworkers, bosses, family, and friends. If I failed in the effort, they'd have heard about that, too, I suppose. Hey, just try doing research sometime without telling anyone WHY you want to know, “If a car rolls over a certain cliff, can it stay there?” Who supports me most in my writing life is my husband, George, to whom I dedicated my first book, NEXT YEAR'S PROMISE. He's my constant, supportive champion.

10. What are you working on writing, now?

A companion book to ONE NIGHT WITH ZORRO, featuring Carol Sue, who needs her own story.